Are You Exhausted and Anxious Due to Daily Political Uncertainty?

Try these therapeutic tips to cope with anxiety.

Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash

I used to think “practicing mindfulness” was just a catchy phrase. I was never someone who could meditate, and I certainly didn’t think of deep breathing as an activity for improved mental health. That changed when I returned to school to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Now, I regularly assign these activities as homework for my clients.

Since January 20th, many of my clients have reported fear and uncertainty due to the executive actions taken by Donald Trump. I work with many clients from marginalized populations. These clients feel great uncertainty and anxiety as these actions directly affect many of them.

When humans feel threatened, our autonomic responses kick in, and we experience a period of hyperarousal, also known as the “fight or flight” response. Our bodies are not meant to be consistently hyperaroused, and this can create symptoms including loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, panic attacks, fatigue, lethargy, intrusive thoughts, and many others. These symptoms make it difficult to function and fulfill responsibilities.

In the last few months, many of my sessions have included discussions on coping skills for dealing with these symptoms. I know…